Superman! Superman! Superman!
The crowd chants "Superman!" in sync with John Williams' iconic guitar rendition. A vibrant new DC Cinematic Universe unfolds in the debut trailer for James Gunn's Superman film:
On July 11, 2025, James Gunn's DC Comics Superman, featuring David Corenswet, will hit theaters. Gunn serves as both writer and director. Initially, he planned only to pen the script, with no intention of directing.
Gunn drew inspiration from the acclaimed All-Star Superman comic, a 12-issue miniseries by celebrated writer Grant Morrison. In it, Superman reveals his secrets to Lois Lane and learns of his impending death. Gunn, a lifelong comic enthusiast, has openly shared his admiration for the source material.
Adapting one of the greatest Superman comics ever? Exciting! What can we anticipate from a film rooted in such iconic source material?
Table of ContentOne of the greatest… Grant Morrison crafts concise, powerful stories A nod to the Silver Age of superhero comics A creatively woven narrative A tale centered on human connections A story bridging past and future This comic blurs the line between story and reader A narrative brimming with unyielding hope 1 0 Comment on this
One of the greatest…
Image: ensigame.com… Superman comics of the 21st century, if not the finest, is Morrison and Quitely’s masterpiece. For those unfamiliar, I aim to spark curiosity today, especially as the new DCU era dawns. For readers who shelved this comic long ago, I hope to reignite their passion.
Note: I don’t shy away from discussing All-Star Superman’s plot, as its allure lies beyond mere surprises. The thrill isn’t about unpredictable twists. I’ll avoid unnecessary recaps, but images and examples from all issues may reveal key moments for some readers.
Here’s why I cherish All-Star Superman.
Grant Morrison crafts concise, powerful stories
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Morrison masterfully unveils the plot, humanizes characters, and sends Superman soaring to the sun in the first issue, all while distilling the core of the Superman mythos in just a few pages. This alone merits discussion.
The opening page of All-Star Superman uses eight words and four images to encapsulate—or introduce—Superman’s origin. It’s one of the most concise and impactful origin stories in modern comics, evoking love, a new home, hope, and belief in progress. While those eight words and images suffice, Morrison builds deeper layers and concepts atop them.
Compare this to the film adaptation, where merging two micro-episodes into one scene inadvertently casts Superman as the cause of several deaths, highlighting the challenge of such streamlined storytelling.
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Morrison’s restraint persists throughout. In issue #10, Superman visits Lex Luthor in prison, saying, “Lex, I believe in your potential for good.” Luthor responds with a defiant spit on the glass, glaring at the towering hero. Their decades-long rivalry condenses into a few frames.
In issue #9, the contrast between Bar-El and Superman shines in two panels: Bar-El carelessly tosses a heavy key to the Fortress of Solitude, breaking a robot’s hand, while Superman instantly aids his injured ally.
Morrison’s dialogue isn’t always terse, but at his peak, as in All-Star, every word counts. He takes pride in moments like the “haiku about unified field theory” spoken by a Quintum scientist in issue #1 and echoed by Luthor in issue #12.
A nod to the Silver Age of superhero comics
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Superhero comics have long grappled with escaping the Silver Age’s legacy. Carrying decades of history is tough; carrying its whimsical “silver” era is tougher still.
In the 1950s, under editor Mort Weisinger, Superman faced bizarre foes, adopted alien pets, and escaped absurd predicaments. How do we reconcile this today?
We stand on the shoulders of giants, even if we chuckle at their quirks. Understanding their legacy helps trace the evolution of storytelling from then to now, much like appreciating Dostoevsky or Dickens informs modern literature.
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We can’t revisit the Silver Age with the same eyes as past readers. Their flat plots and naive morals feel dated. Yet, comics history isn’t a museum to ignore but a time capsule to learn from. Morrison not only grasps this but vividly portrays the dawn of the superhero era.
With Quitely, he translates Silver Age quirks into a modern language, borrowing its tricks and techniques with clever homage.
A creatively woven narrative
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Superman comics face a unique challenge: Superman doesn’t need to fight. Most superhero tales use physical conflict to explore social or philosophical themes, but Superman’s inevitable victories demand creative storytelling.
Morrison, constrained by Silver Age conventions, often ends fights after a single punch. The tensest moments, like solving a grand mystery, avoid combat entirely. In the “new defenders of Earth” arc, Superman’s test isn’t defeating two Kryptonians but saving them.
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Against Lex Luthor, only the villain seeks destruction. Superman aims to redeem him. The sole foe Superman outright defeats is Solaris, already known from DC 1000000 to survive and reform, sparing Morrison redundant exposition.
This ingenuity cements Morrison as a top comic writer. One issue captures Superman’s grandeur, classic elements, and daring feats—saving lives, outwitting heroes, or solving riddles to protect loved ones.
A tale centered on human connections
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What occupies Superman’s thoughts as his life nears its end? Not his feats or distant worlds, but his friends. His farewell scene dwells more on memories of them than his miracles.
All-Star’s plot rarely centers on Superman alone. We see Lois, Jimmy, and Lex Luthor’s actions and emotions. Superman inspires, frightens, or motivates. Daily Planet characters recur, interacting with or even protecting him. Notably, his friendship with Batman is mentioned but not depicted.
Why focus on others? It mirrors our relationship with Superman as readers. His victories are assured; what captivates us is his impact on people—saving individuals or humanity itself.
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All-Star explores how the past shapes the future and vice versa. Superhero comics thrive on chronology, where past events carry weight. Morrison shows that neither rejecting nor clinging to the past frees us from it. Growth comes from learning and building upon it.
This comic blurs the line between story and reader
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Morrison’s work, especially in All-Star, engages readers directly. Unlike authors who impose their views, Morrison invites us to connect with characters as if they’re real, while reminding us they’re fiction. He doesn’t break the fourth wall—he reaches through it.
From the first issue’s cover, where Superman gazes at the reader, the comic speaks to us. Lois says, “Let’s go!” to us, not Clark, when she drinks his potion. Jimmy pleads, “Don’t let him be seen like that!” directly to the audience.
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The climax arrives in the final issue, as Lex Luthor, eyes teary, gazes up and grasps the universe’s workings. “We are all we have,” he says—but who is “we”? Superman or the reader? We’ve seen the world through Superman’s eyes repeatedly, and now Luthor, seeing the universe’s truth, looks into ours.
A narrative brimming with unyielding hope
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How do we weave disparate stories into a character’s “canon”? This often-random process becomes deliberate in All-Star, where Morrison reflects on crafting a new canon for a compact series.
In issue #3, visitors from the future tell Superman he’ll face twelve feats. These aren’t neatly listed or obvious, but we, the readers, seek them out as we read, while Superman focuses on urgent tasks.
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These feats—defeating Time, creating life, or curing cancer—form a canon we shape as readers. All-Star becomes a “variant canon” of Superman, joining other iconic versions, even if not meant for further stories.
Morrison didn’t write a mere comic. He crafted an epic.
I hope Gunn reimagines this vision, delivering a bold cinematic statement this summer.
